Tasleet wins the Duke Of York Stakes for Jim Crowley and William Haggas at York

TASLEET relished conditions to run out a ready winner of the Duke Of York Stakes on the Knavesmire.

William Haggas’ four-year-old had an interrupted season last year but he shaped with promise on his reappearance last month.

Dropped to six furlongs for the first time since his two-year-old days and in first time cheek pieces, he spreadeagled the field at 14-1 under Jim Crowley.

Magical Memory ran a cracker in second on ground he wouldn’t have been in love with, while outsider Comicas came home third.

Favourite Brando was the first horse beaten and trailed home last.

Winning jockey Crowley said: “I was impressed. That was the first time I’ve ridden him.

“We weren’t really sure if he would go on the ground but he loved it.

“My only concern came when they couldn’t get out my way as I was struggling for a bit of room, (but) when I switched him, he took off.

“He was pretty good there and he has not had too many goes at six furlongs, but he clearly relishes it.”

Haggas said: “He is a very talented horse. I always thought he wanted fast ground but he seemed to revel in that. He has been a relatively sound horse but he just had a real bad injury (last year) to a hind ankle which took a hell of a long time to clear up.

“I always fancied coming back to six furlongs. He ran over seven on his comeback in the spring when I wanted to run in the Abernant but he had a foot issue.

“This was always the next step and the next step is about another month away. I would think he is unlikely to run again and he will head to the Diamond Jubilee, I’ve got to try and make him a Group 1 winner.

“We could look to France, the Prix Maurice de Gheest over six-and-a-half-furlongs will be perfect.”